The invention relates to devices for the expulsion of bodies obstructing the larynx; it relates, more particularly, to devices by which such expulsion is caused by a rapid compression of the lungs through the application of a sharp blow to the upper abdomen.
The accidental obstruction of the larynx and of the windpipe is a very frequent cause of medical emergency and, according to Drs. MAYER and DWYER, in "Choking at Mealtime: the Silent Killer" published in the Los Angeles Times on August 18, 1977, ranks sixth among the causes of accidental death. Such obstructions commonly occur due to the improper ingestion of food at home, in restaurants and even in hospitals. The greatest danger to the victim lies in the fact that the cause of this sudden choking attack is frequently misinterpreted, commonly as a heart attack, and even in the presence of trained medical personnel death may ensue due to his inability to communicate verbally the state of facts.
While the extraction of the food particle, most commonly a chunk of improperly chewed meat, from the throat is possible with the aid of someone's fingers or an appropriate appliance, the most efficacious method for disloding such matter is through the "Heimlich Maneuver" named after Dr. Henry Heimlich of the Cleveland Jewish Hospital. This procedure involves the rapid compression of the upper abdomen so as to expel the air trapped in the lungs and to propel the plug of obstructing material from the larynx.
The Heimlich Maneuver is most readily performed by a second person standing behind the accident victim and clasping his hands in front, just below the ribcage. In many cases, it may also be applied by the accident victim himself, but the available leverage is necessarily reduced and the effectiveness lessened.
Since the accident victim is the only person present with a clear understanding of what is happening, it is of great benefit to him if an appliance or device may be provided which would increase the efficiency of the abdominal compression process, whether applied by himself or by another.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a simple device for the rapid and efficient performance of the Heimlich Maneuver, to aid in the expulsion of obstructions from the larynx of a victim of a choking accident.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device with the aforementioned characteristics which is simple in form, easy to operate, and readily provided for in establishments, such as restaurants, where the likelihood of a choking occurrence is foreseeable.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a device for assisting in the expulsion of objects lodged in the larynx and windpipe of an accident victim which is adapted to economical manufacture, requires no maintenance, and which may be readily affixed, permanently or temporarily, to a solid object, to aid in the efficacious operation thereof.
The device in which the foregoing objects of the invention, as well as other objects and advantages which shall become apparent from the detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, are attained comprises a cylindrical track member, pivotally attached to an anchor, and a slider reciprocable on, or within, the track member. The slider is provided with suitable handgrips for propulsion and with an impact pad at its outboard end.
In use, the device is attached, by means of the anchor, to a solid object, a wall or table for example, and the pad aimed at the center of the abdomen just below the ribcage. The pad is then impelled into the abdomen using the handgrips, thereby compressing the lungs and expelling the air contained therein. It is the sudden discharge of air from the lungs through the windpipe which secures the expulsion of the object blocking the larynx.
In General, the aforementioned anchor is provided with a suction cup for ready attachment to a solid body with a smooth surface, but, especially suitable for use in a restaurant, it may also be permanently affixed, by means of screws or adhesive, at a level substantially corresponding to the abdominal height of the average person.
The impact pad is suitably made as a circular metal body with a curved contact face, so as to prevent superficial damage to the user, and of the proper size to enhance the impact delivered to the diaphragm. Alternately the pad, as well as the other parts of the device, may be constructed from a high-impact plastic composition.